


Get Knotted

by horselizard



Category: Red Dwarf
Genre: Asphyxiation, M/M, Minor Violence, Pre-Series, Ties & Cravats, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-05
Updated: 2014-01-05
Packaged: 2018-01-07 15:03:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1121263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horselizard/pseuds/horselizard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rimmer pushes his luck; Lister pulls his tie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Get Knotted

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Starbuggers Red Dwarf Kink Meme, and dedicated to the numerous members of the RD Tumblr fandom who helped tie-pulling take off as "a thing". You beautiful kinky bastards. :D

Lister sat in the little window seat in the corner of the sleeping quarters, his guitar resting heavy and lifeless across his lap. Since Krissie had left him, even his artistic muse had deserted him. He started plucking restlessly at one of the Gs, feeling pathetic and powerless. He had had it up to here with all those officer types who thought they were so clever, just because they were posh, and ambitious, and dependable, and... and knocking off his ex-girlfriend. He groaned, and let his hand fall from the strings, just as Rimmer walked in to the room.

“Afternoon, Listy!” he trilled with exaggerated cheerfulness as he strode over to the mirror and adjusted his uniform. “I've just had a splendid little meet-up with my Love Celibate chums, chatting about all the bad life choices we've avoided making. Ah, really makes you feel good about yourself, that does.”

Lister growled, and put his guitar down with more force than was necessary, provoking a resonant discord from the soundbox.

“Cutting your guitar practice short today, are you?” Rimmer inquired innocently as he turned to face his sulking bunkmate. “I was expecting a few rounds of the -indling song, at least.”

Lister looked at him sharply, but as ever, all this did was encourage him. “You know,” he smirked, crossing the room to the alcove where Lister was slumped, and bending over him patronisingly, “if I'd have known it'd have this effect on your musical activities, I would have bribed that catering officer to start shagging Kochanski again weeks ago.”

It was the last straw. Before he could even realise what he was doing, Lister's hand shot out in front of him, and he wrapped his fist round the regulation tie which swung so mockingly in his personal space. The smug leer instantly drained from Rimmer's face as Lister gave the tie a violent tug, which caught him off balance, and sent him crashing to his knees.

Rage coursed through Lister's veins, rage and sudden, vicious triumph at having given the cowardly bastard the fright he deserved. With a shock, he realised he was feeling _alive_ for the first time in days, adrenaline having finally cut through his fog of hopeless despair. After spending so long wallowing in helpless resentment, this little taste of power was having an unnervingly intoxicating effect on him.

He glared down at Rimmer, and Rimmer stared back, a strange expression on his face. Lister waited for him to chew him out, whip out his report book, but still he didn't move. Was he just too scared? He seemed to have completely forgotten to behave like his usual pompous self.

“Lister,” Rimmer finally managed, in a small voice, “I feel I must remind you, there are strict penalties for interfering with the regulation apparel of a fellow crew-member...”

“Shut up, Rimmer,” Lister snarled, rising from the window seat, and dragging Rimmer up onto his feet. The cringing second technician yelped and stumbled unsteadily; he barely had a chance to recover his balance before Lister swung him round and shoved him violently against the wall.

Lister stared at his cowering prey, breathing heavily, a nasty little smile playing on his lips. What he saw in Rimmer's eyes made his smile fade. It was a mixture of sheer blind terror, and something else: something Lister didn't dare admit he could read.

“I'm a desperate man right now, Rimmer,” he hissed. His fist, still tightly gripping both ends of the tie, was pushed up hard against Rimmer's chin, pushing his head back against the wall; his forearm was pressed closely against Rimmer's heaving chest. “You don't want to cross me. Cos you know what you'll get?”

Rimmer swallowed in fear, and Lister could feel his Adam's apple bobbing against his clenched fingers. “What will I get, Lister?” he croaked, timid but defiant, and Lister felt his nasty little smile returning.

“What you'll get, Rimsy,” he replied, slowly bringing his hand down from Rimmer's throat, and letting the thicker end of the tie slip from his fingers, “is this.”

He steadied his other hand against the knot of the tie, and pulled, hard. Rimmer's eyes flew open wide in shock, then screwed shut in agony, as the length of material tightened around his neck. Lister watched with feral satisfaction as Rimmer's face started to flush pink, and pained, choked little noises sputtered from his lips.

Then he let go, and wrenched the knot loose; Rimmer gratefully gulped in air, and sagged against the wall, groaning faintly. Lister's heart was still beating wildly, and he stepped back, all the way back to the bunks. He wrapped one hand round the bunk ladder, trying to anchor himself, trying to calm himself, trying not to look at his slumped, dishevelled, gasping superior.

It was Rimmer who recovered himself first, if 'recovered' was really the word. “Well,” he rasped, pushing himself painfully upright, and gingerly fingering the hard little knot of his overtightened tie, “I'm glad we cleared that one up.”

“Anything else you want clarifying,” Lister spat back, desperately seeking refuge in safe, familiar barbs, “just let me know.”

“Oh, I will,” Rimmer replied hoarsely, and when Lister met his eyes, he saw that they were shining. “I most definitely, definitely will.”

Lister looked sharply away, still clinging to the ladder, and didn't dare look up again until he heard Rimmer leave.


End file.
